diff --git a/src/d_main.cpp b/src/d_main.cpp
index 76b31ba82..dc9f2e27f 100644
--- a/src/d_main.cpp
+++ b/src/d_main.cpp
@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ FStartupInfo DoomStartupInfo;
 FString lastIWAD;
 int restart = 0;
 bool batchrun;	// just run the startup and collect all error messages in a logfile, then quit without any interaction
+bool AppActive = true;
 
 cycle_t FrameCycles;
 
@@ -658,6 +659,8 @@ CVAR (Flag, compat_multiexit,			compatflags2, COMPATF2_MULTIEXIT);
 CVAR (Flag, compat_teleport,			compatflags2, COMPATF2_TELEPORT);
 CVAR (Flag, compat_pushwindow,			compatflags2, COMPATF2_PUSHWINDOW);
 
+CVAR(Bool, vid_activeinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // D_Display
@@ -674,6 +677,11 @@ void D_Display ()
 	if (nodrawers || screen == NULL)
 		return; 				// for comparative timing / profiling
 	
+	if (!AppActive && (screen->IsFullscreen() || !vid_activeinbackground))
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
 	cycle_t cycles;
 	
 	cycles.Reset();
diff --git a/src/gl/system/gl_framebuffer.cpp b/src/gl/system/gl_framebuffer.cpp
index 8549abb7e..ea59da031 100644
--- a/src/gl/system/gl_framebuffer.cpp
+++ b/src/gl/system/gl_framebuffer.cpp
@@ -166,12 +166,6 @@ void OpenGLFrameBuffer::InitializeState()
 
 void OpenGLFrameBuffer::Update()
 {
-	if (!CanUpdate()) 
-	{
-		GLRenderer->Flush();
-		return;
-	}
-
 	Begin2D(false);
 
 	DrawRateStuff();
diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm b/src/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
index d528a0f72..0bca80885 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/i_main.mm
@@ -302,18 +302,24 @@ ApplicationController* appCtrl;
 }
 
 
+extern bool AppActive;
+
 - (void)applicationDidBecomeActive:(NSNotification*)aNotification
 {
 	ZD_UNUSED(aNotification);
 	
 	S_SetSoundPaused(1);
+
+	AppActive = true;
 }
 
 - (void)applicationWillResignActive:(NSNotification*)aNotification
 {
 	ZD_UNUSED(aNotification);
 	
-	S_SetSoundPaused((!!i_soundinbackground) || 0);
+	S_SetSoundPaused(i_soundinbackground);
+
+	AppActive = false;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
index caf5292e4..6c731ddc2 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/i_video.mm
@@ -1122,22 +1122,6 @@ void SDLGLFB::InitializeState()
 {
 }
 
-bool SDLGLFB::CanUpdate()
-{
-	if (m_Lock != 1)
-	{
-		if (m_Lock > 0)
-		{
-			UpdatePending = true;
-			--m_Lock;
-		}
-
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	return true;
-}
-
 void SDLGLFB::SwapBuffers()
 {
 	[[NSOpenGLContext currentContext] flushBuffer];
diff --git a/src/posix/cocoa/sdlglvideo.h b/src/posix/cocoa/sdlglvideo.h
index 55e08c583..7e98d956d 100644
--- a/src/posix/cocoa/sdlglvideo.h
+++ b/src/posix/cocoa/sdlglvideo.h
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ protected:
 
 	void InitializeState();
 
-	bool CanUpdate();
 	void SwapBuffers();
 
 	void SetGammaTable(uint16_t* table);
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/i_input.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/i_input.cpp
index 338b343d5..40a3329ec 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/i_input.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/i_input.cpp
@@ -311,9 +311,16 @@ void MessagePump (const SDL_Event &sev)
 	case SDL_WINDOWEVENT:
 		switch (sev.window.event)
 		{
+			extern bool AppActive;
+
 			case SDL_WINDOWEVENT_FOCUS_GAINED:
+				S_SetSoundPaused(1);
+				AppActive = true;
+				break;
+
 			case SDL_WINDOWEVENT_FOCUS_LOST:
-				S_SetSoundPaused((!!i_soundinbackground) || sev.window.event == SDL_WINDOWEVENT_FOCUS_GAINED);
+				S_SetSoundPaused(i_soundinbackground);
+				AppActive = false;
 				break;
 		}
 		break;
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
index bb8b40dec..663947ae7 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.cpp
@@ -405,20 +405,6 @@ void SDLGLFB::InitializeState()
 {
 }
 
-bool SDLGLFB::CanUpdate ()
-{
-	if (m_Lock != 1)
-	{
-		if (m_Lock > 0)
-		{
-			UpdatePending = true;
-			--m_Lock;
-		}
-		return false;
-	}
-	return true;
-}
-
 void SDLGLFB::SetGammaTable(uint16_t *tbl)
 {
 	if (m_supportsGamma)
diff --git a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.h b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.h
index 2dce3aeed..3be296b66 100644
--- a/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.h
+++ b/src/posix/sdl/sdlglvideo.h
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ public:
 
 	virtual int GetTrueHeight() { return GetClientHeight(); }
 protected:
-	bool CanUpdate();
 	void SetGammaTable(uint16_t *tbl);
 	void ResetGammaTable();
 	void InitializeState();
diff --git a/src/win32/i_input.cpp b/src/win32/i_input.cpp
index 84ab3ff84..c67dc3d6b 100644
--- a/src/win32/i_input.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/i_input.cpp
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ LPDIRECTINPUT8			g_pdi;
 LPDIRECTINPUT			g_pdi3;
 
 
-BOOL AppActive = TRUE;
+extern bool AppActive;
 int SessionState = 0;
 int BlockMouseMove; 
 
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc (HWND hWnd, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
 		break;
 
 	case WM_ACTIVATEAPP:
-		AppActive = wParam;
+		AppActive = wParam == TRUE;
 		if (wParam)
 		{
 			SetPriorityClass (GetCurrentProcess (), INGAME_PRIORITY_CLASS);
diff --git a/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp b/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
index 71369690c..471fc4c53 100644
--- a/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/win32gliface.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@
 #include "gl/system/gl_swframebuffer.h"
 
 extern HWND			Window;
-extern BOOL AppActive;
 
 extern "C" {
     __declspec(dllexport) DWORD NvOptimusEnablement = 0x00000001;
@@ -80,8 +79,6 @@ PFNWGLSWAPINTERVALEXTPROC myWglSwapIntervalExtProc;
 
 
 
-CVAR(Bool, vid_activeinbackground, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG)
-
 CUSTOM_CVAR(Bool, gl_debug, false, CVAR_ARCHIVE | CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG | CVAR_NOINITCALL)
 {
 	Printf("This won't take effect until " GAMENAME " is restarted.\n");
@@ -1143,18 +1140,6 @@ void Win32GLFrameBuffer::InitializeState()
 //
 //==========================================================================
 
-bool Win32GLFrameBuffer::CanUpdate()
-{
-	if (!AppActive && (IsFullscreen() || !vid_activeinbackground)) return false;
-	return true;
-}
-
-//==========================================================================
-//
-// 
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
 void Win32GLFrameBuffer::ResetGammaTable()
 {
 	if (m_supportsGamma)
diff --git a/src/win32/win32gliface.h b/src/win32/win32gliface.h
index 09e9e5642..e0878a96a 100644
--- a/src/win32/win32gliface.h
+++ b/src/win32/win32gliface.h
@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@ public:
 	void InitializeState();
 
 protected:
-
-	bool CanUpdate();
 	void ResetGammaTable();
 	void SetGammaTable(uint16_t * tbl);